Improvement in repeating ordnance, sgc



3 sheetssheet 1.

W. MCCORD 83 B. MAHER.

REPBATING ORDNANGB, &c.

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W. MQCORDfsa E. MAHER. vRBPBATING ORDNANGB, &c.

No. 33,813. l Patented N0v,`26,'1861.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MCCORD, OF SING SING, AND EDMUN D MAHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNORS TO WILLIAM MCGORD.

IMPROVEMENT IN REPEATING ORDNANCE, 80G.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent' No. 33,813, dated November 26, -1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM McGonn, of Sing Sing, in the county of -Westchester' and State of New York, and EDMUND MHER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guns; and we do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this speciiication. i

Figure l is a horizontal section of the irnproved gun at the red line l 2 of Fig. 2, with one of the peculiarly-formed cart-ridgechambers employed embraced between reciprocating and oscillating jaws for holding them opposite the gun-barrel. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionI of the same at the red line 3 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar transverse section of the same with the said reciprocating and oscillating jaws open and a cartridge-cham ber in the act of descending therefrom. a longitudinal section of the gun at the red line 5 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the metallic cartridge-chambers. Fig. 6 is an end View of the same.

Similar letters inthe several flgures refer to v corresponding; parts.

This invention consists in a certain novel construction, arrangement, and movement of parts by which peculiarly-formed metallic cartridge-chambers charged with powder and ball are successively and at regular intervals dropped from a hopper, opposite to and held tightly in contact with a gun-barrel of correspending caliber, firmly secured in a substantial stock, and after being red discharged from below while the necessary preparations and movements are being made for the reception from the hopperof the next loaded cartridgechamber in succession in such a manner as to enable a constant firing of the cartridge-chambers through the barrel to take place from the simple act of turning a crank.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to dcscribe its construction and operation.

The frame or stockA, to which the gun-bar rel B is secured, may be formed in two parts, firmly secured together by screws or bolts, the upper part being in fact acap-plate for holding the several moving parts in place. Within Fig. 4 is this stock is secured the shaft C of an oscillating semi-cylindrical jaw, C', the concavity or inner periphery of which, when elevated, isbn line with one-half the caliber of the gun, with which and a similar concavity in the end of a reciprocating jaw piece, D, it corresponds. This latter jaw-piece, D, is provided with rectangular projectionsy or tongues'D at its sides, -which tongues iit and slide in slots s, formed equally in the upper and lower portions of the stock or frame at their junction, and next these tongues it is provided on either side with a pair of prong-pieces, D, which extend horizontally outward therefrom above and below a horizontal crank-shaft, E,\turuing in suitable boxes in the frame, and arranged parallel with-the gun-barrel, with its axis on the same horizon tal plane as the center of the same, so as to enable it to act asa guide to the prongpieces in their reciprocating movements. Between these pairs of prongpieces D2 the said jaw-piece D is increased in thickness, and within this portion is formed a peculiar-.shaped opening or space, D, in which the crank E of the' shaft E turns. The peculiar form of this opening or space D3 somewhat resembles a rhomboid, and the object designed in giving it this form is to enable the reciprocating jawt piece D to remain at rest a short time at each reciprocal throw, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

On the rear end of the crank-shaft E is secured a bevel cog-wheel, F, which meshes in gear with a corresponding cog-wheel, G, secured on a horizontal revolving transverse shaft, H, whose axis is on the same horizontal plane with the center of the gun-barrel. This last named-shaft, H, has a hand-crank at one end for givingit motion, and near its opposite end a protuberance or cog, I,so situated in relation to a similar cog,J, projecting from the periphery at the rear end ofthe shaft (l of the oscillatingjaw G,as to enableit in its revolution with its shaft H to depresssaid cog J and tip or turn the jaw C to the position represented in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a space -being formedin the lower part of the stock or frame A to admit of this movement.v After being thus tipped it is raised to its original position by a spiral spring, K, on the end of the shaft C.

Two bars, L, project tangentially from the lower part of the semi-cylindrical oscillating jaw C', for preventing the loaded cartridgechambers falling through when said jaw is raised, which bars L, when the reciprocating jaw D closes upon the oscillating one, C', enter corresponding slots in it. A segment of a cogwheel, M, is secured to near the center of the shaft G, and meshes in gear with a cogged rack on the lower surface of a horizontal plate, N, for shutting off communication with the hopper during the tipping movement of the oscillating jaw C.

The detachable cartridge-chambers O are made of a cylindrical form, with a nipple at one end, and Vof a caliber corresponding with the caliber of'the gun-barrel. At their nipple ends they are provided with caps P, screwed on their ends, which caps have small round openings in their centers, through which pass small pins P', having heads on their inside ends, which are situated immediately opposite the ends of the nipples and rest in seats provided for them on the inside of the caps P. This pin, when struck by the hammer Q, explodes the percussion-cap on the nipple, and immediately thereafter the head is driven against its seat, and thus prevents the escape of any of the charge or force of either the cartridge or percussion-cap, and causes the whole force of the latter to assist in giving force to the ball.

The spring percussionlammer Q is secured at its lower end to the rear surface of the stock or frame A, and is operated by means of a tooth, R, on the peripheryof the transverse shaft-,and the cartridge-chambers are forced against the breech end of the barrel atthe same time of ring by means of two cams, S, formed on the shaft H on either side of the hammer-tooth 1t.

The cartridge-chambers O are placed in the hopper Z above the sliding plate N, whence they are supplied to the gun singly and tired and discharged therefrom in the following manner: Supposing motion to be given theV shafts E H and the reciprocating jaw-piece D to be opened to its fullest extent, as represented in Fig. 3, and the oscillat-ingjaw C to be raised to the position represented by red lines in the same ligure, this causes the sliding plate N to be moved to the position represented in Fig. 2 by the upward moving of saidjaw C and consequent turning of the segment of a cog-wheel, M, attached thereto. In this movement the ridge V on the plate N agitates the cartridge-chambers 0 in the hopper Z and causes one of them to descend through the space next the end of said sliding plate N, between the upper edges of the jaws C D, and rest on the bars L, projecting` from the lower edge of the oscillating jaw C. The continued turning of said shafts E H and the crank E after the jawD has been opened does not operate on the straight portion of the space D3 until after it has made one-quarter of a revolution past the segmental portion 2 of saidopening or space D3, but simply holds t-he jaw D open, thereby giving the necessary time for the jaw Gto rise andthe gate or slide N toopen and the cartridge-chamber to descend onto the bars or prongs L. In reaching the position represented in Fig. 2 the movement of the crank closes thejaw D and embraces between it and the jaw U the previously-descended cartridge-chamber O as represented in the ligure just mentioned. During the next quarter-revolution of the crank E past the quarter-segment portion 3 of the opening or space D3 it holds the jaw D against the other j aw, C', without moving it in the least, and thereby gives the camsS time to force up the cartridge-ehamberin contact with the gunbarrel and hold it there until its contents are tired olf by the cog or notch R coming in contact with the notch 1 ofthe hammer Q and springing it to explode the cap, as before stated. The next quarter -revolution of the said crank E again opensthe jaw D, while at the same time the protuherance or cog I on the shaft H, operating on the similar cog, J, ou the oscillating jaw-shaft c', depresses the same to the position represented in Fig. 3, to throw oli" the cartridge-chamber therefrom, and at the same time moves the gate or slide N to prevent the descent of another chamber until the exploded one is thus thrown off. In this manner the operation is continued,.a eartridge-chamber being tired at every revolution of the shafts E H.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Embracing and holding the cartridgechambers O opposite the gun barrel B by meansJ of the oscillating and reciprocating jaws O D, constructed, combined, arranged', and operating as before described.

2. The employment of the bars L and segment of a cog-wheel, M, on the oscillating jaws C', and slide N, with cogged rack oi its lower surface anda ridge onits upper one, for throwing otf from said jaw C the exploded cartridge-chambers and admitting loaded ones singly from the hopper, as set forth.

3. The peculiar form ofthe opening orspaee D3 inthe reciprocating jaw-piece D, in connection with the crank E', by which the necessary stoppage is given the said jaw-piece at the end of every reciprocal throw of the same, as herein fully set forth.

4. Covering the nipple ends of the cartridgc chambers with a cap, P, having a headeitor valve pin, P', working loosely in an opening immediately opposite the percussion-cap on the nipple, substantially in the manner v'and for the purpose set forth.

WM. MCCORD. E. MAHER.

Witnesses:

R. HANsoN, C. S. MAHER. 

